Data & Technology in baseball…is actually...really Old School

Baseball has always been driven by data... from Williams’s charts to Gwynn’s VHS tapes to Weaver’s matchup cards.

At the Red Wings Performance Center, we’re committed to utilizing technology to enhance player training. Why? Because numbers don’t lie: data helps athletes measure progress, confirm what they feel, and make better adjustments. And whether it’s a high-end system like HitTrax or something as simple as video on a phone, technology shouldn’t be a barrier to entry for players in Rochester.

Old-School Legends, Data-Driven Approach

When people talk about baseball data and technology today, it sounds like a brand-new trend. Blast sensors, HitTrax machines, and Statcast leaderboards all feel futuristic…and that those new gadgets don't have a place in the game. But here’s the truth: training with data and technology has always been part of the game.

• Earl Weaver - The Genius Ahead of His Time

  • Decades before “Moneyball,” Earl Weaver was already managing by the numbers. While others trusted gut instincts, Weaver demanded proof.

  • Matchup Index Cards: He had the Orioles PR staff compile detailed batter–pitcher matchups, updating how each of his hitters fared against every pitcher, and vice versa. These stacks of index cards became his “database,” giving him an edge in lineup decisions long before laptops hit dugouts. (Orioles.com – The Genius of Earl Weaver)

  • Radar Gun Pioneer: In spring training of 1975, Weaver was one of the first to consistently use radar guns to measure a pitcher’s velocity. He knew declining velocity often signaled fatigue, so he used data to manage workloads and protect arms.
    

Known for his fiery personality and data-driven tactics, Earl Weaver's .583 career winning percentage still ranks among the best in MLB history.

Fun extras: Earl Weaver even lent his baseball brain to the 1987 computer game Earl Weaver Baseball, one of the first sports sims to use real-life managerial logic. Reviewers called it the most realistic baseball simulation of its time, and it paved the way for EA Sports’ rise. (Wikipedia – Earl Weaver Baseball)

• Tony Gwynn - The Video Pioneer

  • In the 1980s, Tony Gwynn carried a Betamax recorder with him on the road. He taped his at-bats, charted umpire strike zones, and studied his swing frame by frame. That was his data. That was his “tech.” And it worked...Gwynn hit over .300 for 19 consecutive seasons.

Source: USA TODAY Sports Watch Tony Gwynn show how he helped pioneer the use of video in MLB

• Ted Williams - Mapping the Strike Zone

  • Decades earlier, Ted Williams took his own scientific approach to hitting. In The Science of Hitting (1971), he mapped out the strike zone with batting averages in every location, proving he was thinking in terms of measurable outcomes long before Statcast. He didn’t just trust feel...he tracked, recorded, and confirmed it.

Ted Williams with his famous strike-zone chart from The Science of Hitting (1971). Williams broke the zone into 77 cells, recording batting averages for each location. It was one of baseball’s earliest examples of pairing instinct with data...decades before Statcast.

• Branch Rickey & Allan Roth - Early Analytics in the 1940s

  • Branch Rickey, the Dodgers executive who signed Jackie Robinson, hired statistician Allan Roth to keep detailed situational records: how hitters performed against lefties, what they did on 0–2 counts, and where the ball was likely to be hit. These “sabermetrics” were born decades before Moneyball and Fabio’s jeans made the term popular.

Fun fact: Branch Rickey’s grandson, Branch (second from left), was the Pacific Coast League President from 1998-2020, and was at Innovative Field in 2000 when then Frontier Field hosted the Triple-A All-Star Game. Pictured here with Red Wings President, CEO, and COO Naomi Silver (third from left) and Chairman Gary Larder (third from right). Photo: Barbara Jean Germano

• Nolan Ryan - Radar Guns Before They Were Cool 

  • By the 1970s, Nolan Ryan and other power pitchers were already being clocked with radar technology. Scouts and coaches tracked fastball velocity not just to wow fans, but to assess performance over time. That data helped Ryan build a Hall of Fame career anchored by his legendary heat.

What This Means for Today’s Player

The best players have always combined art with science. Today’s tools…whether it’s Blast for bat speed, Rapsodo for pitch data, or HitTrax for exit velocity and launch angle...just make it easier, faster, and more precise.

The core idea hasn’t changed: measure, confirm, and improve.

• Weaver used matchup cards and radar.

• Gwynn used VHS.

• Williams used charts.

• Rickey used hand-kept stats.

• Ryan used radar.

Now we use high-speed cameras, sensors, and software. Same concept, better tools.

Bringing It Home to Rochester

That’s why we’re investing in technology at the Red Wings Performance Center. We want players in Rochester to have access to the same kind of feedback and confidence that legends like Gwynn and Williams built their careers on.

Whether you’re using HitTrax in our facility, video on your phone at home, or even a notebook to track results, access to technology shouldn’t be a barrier. It’s about giving players of all ages the same advantage ballplayers have sought for generations: clarity, confidence, and a roadmap to get better.

Bottom Line

Some coaches still want to demonize technology, and that’s fine...we'll let them. Because Earl is probably wrong...and Ted...and Nolan...and Branch...just make sure to tell them the next time you're in Cooperstown.

maybe we can get youtube to come down and take pictures when you're there for the memories

Training with data and technology isn’t “new school.” It’s baseball’s oldest tradition...from Williams’s charts, to Gwynn’s videos, to today’s Statcast visuals. The Red Wings Performance Center is proud to carry that tradition forward here in Rochester, where every player deserves access to tools that help them grow.